Snapshots: Zutara Week 2009
by Nicky-Pickle-25
Summary: Welcome to Zutara Week 2009! Just inside are 7 oneshots celebrating the epic romance between Katara and Zuko, from an AU finale to post war troubles to an encounter with a host club! Enjoy!
1. Monday: Crossover

**So, here is my first EVER entry for Zutara Week. I am so excited! The first theme is crossover, and, since I am currently OBSESSED with Ouran High School Host Club, I decided that this would be the perfect one! :D **

**...Ouran may or may not be one of the many reasons I haven't updated my other stories...**

**Well, I had a lot to do at work, too! :/**

**Anyways, enjoy this and the upcoming entries for Zutara week, and, if you aren't a Zutarian, well, enjoy it anyways!**

**3,**

**Nicky**

**PS--I don't own AtLA. Obviously, if i did, it would have been Zutara.**

* * *

"Crossover"

_Those with the wherewithal, first in social standing, and second in money, spend their time here, at the private Ouran Academy. As such, Ouran Host Club is where handsome boys with too much time on their hands entertain the girls, who also have too much time on their hands. It is the school's own personal, elegant playground for the super rich._

The doors opened to Music Room #3 to reveal a scene pulled out of eastern folklore, with six beautiful young men dressed in extravagant robes, each extended their hands in welcome. They quickly changed their posture, however, when they saw that the person that had opened the door was not a guest, but Haruhi Fujioka, another host. Haruhi was the newest addition to the host club, forced into masquerading as a male host in order to obtain pay off the debt that she had incurred after breaking an 8 million yen vase.

"Oh, Haruhi, it's just you," chided two of the hosts, both first-year students, and both identical in appearance and voice. They each took a position on each side of her, each leaning an elbow on one of her shoulders. As both a commoner and a female, Haruhi had become the new favorite of the Hitachiin twins, who had taken to treating Haruhi as their own personal toy.

"Hey, Haruhi, what took so long? Kaoru was beside himself with worry; he was almost in tears!"

Hikaru's twin brother looked to his brother and moved away from Haruhi, his bottom lip quivering. "Hikaru, why do you have to tell everyone? It's embarrassing…"

Immediately, Hikaru was standing next to his brother, his hand cupping Kaoru's chin, and his mouth inches from the other boys'. "Oh, Kaoru, I only say these things because you are so cute when you are worried. But from now on, it should only be me that you worry about."

Kaoru blushed and looked away, whispering, "Hikaru…"

While Haruhi rolled her eyes, annoyed that she had been the springboard for their foolish display, the guests that were special fans of the twins began to squeal with delight for the "rare vision of forbidden brotherly love" that was the main selling point for the two hosts.

While the Hitachiin twins were still showing off for their guests, a handsome, blonde-haired host came up behind Haruhi, gently wrapped his arms around her, and whispered, "Don't worry, my daughter, I'll save you from these little devils."

Haruhi jumped and turned around, scared at the unexpected contact. "Tamaki-senpai! What are you doing?"

Tamaki Suoh, the self-proclaimed "king" of the host club, and its most-requested host, smiled in a way that could melt most hearts and rested his hands on Haruhi's shoulders, bringing his face down to her level. "I am saving you, of course. Why? Has it made you fall for me even faster?"

Haruhi looked away, annoyed by the second-year's arrogant display, and muttered, "Seems to me like you are just trying to cop a feel…"

Shocked and hurt by Haruhi's callous remark, Tamaki deflated, falling to his knees some yards away, and called out to his best friend, shouting, "Mother! Our daughter is being cruel again!"

A second-year and co-founder of the Host Club, Kyoya Ootori was an unlikely candidate for Tamaki's best friend, being the exuberant blonde's opposite in nearly every way. He adjusted his glasses, and sighed, ignoring Tamaki's newest habit of addressing himself as "father" and Kyoya as "mother", in reference to their roles in the small family that the Host Club had become.

"Perhaps you should return to your guests, Tamaki. And Haruhi? You are indeed late; I hope you realize that tardiness will in no way help to decrease your debt."

Haruhi recoiled at the cold way in which Kyoya reminded her of her duties, and muttered under her breath, "He really _is_ the Shadow King…" Before she could dwell on it further, however, a small body launched itself into her stomach.

"Haruuuuuu-chaaaan!" shouted Mitsukuni Haninozuka, a third-year student who looked—and acted—as if he were still in elementary school. Known as "Honey" by his friends, Mitsukuni was much more than he appeared on the surface, but his love of sweets and cute things, especially his stuffed rabbit, Usa-chan, overpowered his need to act his age.

Currently, Honey was dressed in full costume, wearing a brilliant green kimono slashed with yellow and held together with a wide, studded leather belt, which clashed oddly with the rest of the ensemble. "Look, Haru-chan! I don't have to wear shoes today! Isn't that great----Owww!!" Honey began jumping around, holding his foot. "I stubbed my toe," he cried, tears already forming in his eyes.

"Mitsukuni." Honey looked up at hearing a deep voice speak his name, and tilted his head questioningly towards his best friend and fellow third-year, Takashi Morinozuka. Known as "Mori" to his friends, he was an imposing man of few words, but soft at heart. Today, he was dressed in robes of rich red, belted by a yellow sash, and had two dao swords strapped to his back.

Mori bent down to Honey's level and placed an ice pack on his toe, simply saying, "Be careful." Honey beamed at Mori, seemingly cured, and suddenly a new wave of guests were squealing and shouting wildly at the affection shown between the two boys. Haruhi still didn't understand what the appeal was between those two, but she had learned long ago that it was best not to ask questions.

Soon Haruhi found herself standing alone next to Kyoya, who was, as usual, bent over his notebook, scribbling something unknown to all but himself. "Um, Kyoya-senpai," she asked, "What is everyone dressed as today, that Honey-senpai is not wearing shoes?"

Kyoya adjusted his glasses and set down his pen, and answered, "Today, at the behest of one of our guests, we are dressed to mirror the legendary characters from the Avatar myth."

"Avatar myth?" Haruhi echoed, confused.

"Yes," Kyoya explained, "From the ancient legend of the Avatar and the Hundred Years War. No one is sure which country the myth originated from, but I am sure even commoners have heard the story."

"Oh, yes, I remember my father telling me a story about it when I was younger," replied Haruhi, ignoring the slight on her social status. "So, then, Honey-senpai must be the blind master of earth, and Mori-senpai is the Fire Prince." Looking at Tamaki's robes of orange and yellow, as well as the grand manner in which he was treating his guests, she went on further, "I will assume that Tamaki-senpai has taken the role of the Avatar. And Hikaru and Kaoru must be the two great siblings of the Water Tribe, wearing all that blue. Did the story ever say that they were twins?"

"Well, the story never said they weren't, did it?" Kyoya remarked, smiling in a way that seemed almost scary.

Haruhi looked at the red robes on the club's vice-president, and ventured, "Then, Kyoya-senpai, are you the, ah, evil prince?"

Kyoya only smiled again, adjusting his glasses so they glinted in the light. "Well, naturally."

The rest of their conversation was cut off by the appearance of a very pretty guest with wide, blue eyes and long brown hair pulled back into a braid, with long bangs hanging loose to frame her face. She smiled and spoke, quietly, saying, "Ootori-senpai, I would like to thank you for acquiescing to my request for today's theme. The Avatar legend is just so grand, isn't it? Although I think something is missing from Mori-senpai's piece. He is wonderful, but the Fire Prince needs something…more, I think."

"It is my pleasure, Katara-hime," replied Kyoya, who bowed and gently kissed her hand. "Anything to please our guests. I hope that Mori-senpai is still to your liking, even if it is an imperfect portrayal. I am sorry that we failed to meet your expectations for the Fire Prince."

Katara blushed, and shook her head. "Oh! Well, it's not that. I mean, I like all of the costumes. Why would I focus on the Fire Prince? Mori-senpai is very good. Yes, well, I must be going now, but thank you again."

Bowing her head slightly, the flustered girl turned rushed out the door, leaving behind a confused Haruhi.

"Kyoya-senpai," Haruhi asked, "Who was that? And why was she so upset about Mori-senpai?"

"Ahh, Haruhi, you didn't recognize her? She is in our class," Hikaru cut in, apparently finished with his guests for the day.

"Yes, she transferred her about a week ago. I think her father is the president of some smaller country somewhere in Europe, and he sent her here to be with her grandmother for the school year," added Kaoru.

Seemingly unfazed by the fact that she had completely overlooked one of her own classmates, Haruhi simply rolled her eyes, thinking, '_No wonder Kyoya-senpai was so nice to her. Her father is the leader of an entire country…'_

Recovering, she remembered yet another strange thing about the strange princess named Katara. "Why was she so embarrassed about mentioning Mori-senpai's costume? It's not as if none of the other guests single out one host."

"Katara-chan is embarrassed because Takashi, as the Fire Prince, reminds her of her someone else, Haru-chan," interjected Honey, who had bounced over to their small gathering now that all the guests had gone. "Right, Mori?"

Takashi nodded, smiling faintly at Honey. Haruhi frowned, and so Honey decided to elaborate.

"Katara-chan's brother, Sokka, goes to our dojo, and he told us that he moved here after Katara-chan broke off an arranged marriage with a boy back in Europe. He didn't say why, but another boy from her school transferred into our class over a year ago, and whenever she comes to visit her brother, she looks at him almost the entire time! It's so cute!"

"Yeah," began the twins, "She spends more time in class 3-A than with ours!"

"But, what does that have to do with Mori-senpai, and the Avatar myth?" Haruhi ventured, still confused.

"Well," Kyoya explained, "This boy, Zuko-san, is quiet and imposing, just like Mori-senpai, and slightly resembles him. He is also said to be skilled in the dao swords, like the fire prince in the myth. Perhaps Katara-hime has seen a parallel between the three."

By this point, Tamaki had moved into the conversation, listening intently, and now he took charge of it, gesturing widely before announcing, "Right! Everyone, we have a new assignment! It's obvious that Katara-hime is in distress, and, as a guest of our club, it is our duty to comfort her! Hikaru! Kaoru!"

"Yes, Lord!" replied the twins, coming to attention in mockery of Tamaki's tone.

"Speak to Katara-hime's friends in your class, and gather all of the information that you can as to her habits and personality. Kyoya! Find out more about her life in Europe, and the arranged marriage."

Kyoya nodded in answer before pulling out his cell phone to make a call, while Hikaru and Kaoru headed out the door of the music room in pursuit of their duties.

"Mori-senpai! Honey-senpai! Find out more about this strange boy, Zuko!"

"Right!" shouted Honey, just as enthusiastically. It was unusual that Tamaki included him in the research assignments, and he bounced away with Mori in tow.

"Haruhi! It is your job to talk to Katara and get her side of the story!"

"Me?! Host Club is over. Can't I go home? I have to buy food for dinner."

"No! You must meet with Katara-hime, and then you can have some lovely womanly bonding time! It is time for you to realize you are a girl! You can talk over tea, sharing stories about your love lives while you bake cookies and braid each other's hair…"

"Uh-oh, looks like Lord is getting carried away again," announced Hikaru and Kaoru, who had somehow reappeared behind Haruhi.

"I thought you two were on assignment," Haruhi stated, perplexed at the behavior of Tamaki and the twins.

"We were, but you see…," began Kaoru.

"…Everyone already went home for the day," finished Hikaru, grinning.

While Tamaki was still announcing to himself about the womanly activities that Haruhi should be involved in, Kyoya had somehow gathered all of the hosts around him. Apparently everyone had realized that Tamaki's directions weren't very well-thought out. "Well, I have the information on Katara-hime."

At that, Tamaki stopped his daydream and popped into their small circle, suddenly at attention. Of course, Haruhi knew that Kyoya had probably known this information since the beginning, and had divulged it only to distract Tamaki from his ramblings. Sometimes Kyoya-senpai was so calculating, it was scary.

"Katara-hime was engaged to the son of the leader of a very powerful religious movement in her father's country, but it was rumored that she was secretly dating the prince of a rival country instead. When the rumors began circulating about one year ago, the prince, named Zuko, had an incident in his home, in which he received a rather terrible scar across his face. After that, he left Europe to come to Japan with his uncle, and enrolled here. Two weeks ago, Katara's fiancée broke things off with her, citing a new love for one of his younger classmates. Reportedly out of grief, Katara moved in with her grandmother, the incident with the prince long forgotten."

"Ah! I see! But, in actuality, Katara-hime is in love with Zuko-senpai, and has moved to Japan to pursue him after her fiancée graciously let her go, only to be hindered by their tortured past and quarreling families! It is a love story of epic proportions! A tale of forbidden romance amongst rivals; of two suffering young souls drowning in the depths of hopelessness! We must right this wrong, and bring these precious children into the light!"

"Um, Tamaki-senpai," Haruhi interjected, "We can't be sure that this is truly the case…"

"It's ok, Haru-chan! It will be fun! Zuko-san is always so serious; it will be good to see him smile! And Tama-chan is probably right," Honey exclaimed, beaming.

"Yes," added Mori, nodding in agreement. Hikaru and Kaoru added their approval, if only because the situation was sure to have an interesting outcome regardless of success or failure. Kyoya simply smiled, and Haruhi wondered just what the advantage would be for him if they were to succeed.

As they began to plan their mode of attack, Haruhi gave up trying to get out of it. After all, it would be nice to help Katara-hime to be happier. Tamaki-senpai was usually right about these things, anyways. For someone who was very dense about his own issues, he was surprisingly insightful into the problems of others.

* * *

Two days later, despite the fact that it was simply a meeting day for the Host Club, one single guest was sitting on a couch in Music Room #3. This guest, however, was different from the others. For one, he was male. He was also there against his will.

"Just what is going on here?" Zuko demanded, alternating between glaring at everyone present and eying the door, as if considering his chances at a quick getaway. However, since he had just been forcibly dragged to the meeting by Mori and Honey, he figured that they would not let him leave very easily, and finally resigned to glowering full time. Unfortunately, the members of the Host Club seemed impervious to even his most irritated look.

In fact, they hardly seemed to notice his frustration at all, and were conferring amongst themselves a few yards away, every once and a while shooting glances his way. Zuko's patience allowed him to put up with this behavior for about two minutes before he finally exploded, which was rather impressive, considering his notorious temper.

"Takashi-san, Mitsukuni-san, what the hell is going on?! You dragged me here as soon as class was over with no explanation, and I want to know why! If you're just going to sit over there in your meeting or whatever, I'm going to get out of here! You're all crazy!"

With that, Zuko turned to the door, only to be stopped by Mori. Sighing in defeat, he turned back to face the host club, who had somehow gracefully arranged themselves around a tiny couch in the short amount of time that it had taken for him to turn around.

"Wait," Zuko said, thoughtfully. "You are Suoh-san, the superintendent's son. And you're Ootori-san; your father owns a huge chain of medical centers, among other things, doesn't it? And you two must be the Hitachiin brothers; my uncle raves about your mother's fashion work. I'm afraid I don't recognize you," he added, nodding to Haruhi, "But this is obviously that host club that everyone talks about, and so you must be Fujioka Haruhi, the scholarship student. What do you want with me?"

Tamaki smiled and took Zuko's hand, much to his discomfort. "Yes, Zuko-senpai," he explained, "This is indeed the illustrious Host Club. Here we beautiful boys, with too much time on our hands, entertain equally beautiful young women, who also have too much time on their hands. It is our duty to provide for the pleasure and happiness of these young girls of Ouran, as both gentlemen and hosts."

Zuko frowned and pulled his hand away from Tamaki, who simply moved back towards his friends, still smiling politely. "Ok," Zuko replied, "I get the whole 'host club' thing, but what does this have to do with me? I really need to get home."

"He sounds like Haruhi," Hikaru muttered, only partially joking.

"Yeah. Just what we need…a reluctant hero to go with our lazybones heroine," added Kaoru.

Zuko opened his mouth to say something, but Kyoya beat him to it. "Zuko-senpai," he began, "We have a special event coming up in which we will need all of the help we can get, and Honey-senpai specifically recommended you. So, in short, we would like to offer you a position as a host here with our club, if only to help us out the few times of year that we require it. You certainly have the looks for it, and your personality seems to have created a small sensation among the girls here that are attracted to the mysterious loner type. In fact, your scar only adds to this, making you seem even more mysterious."

At the mention of his scar, Zuko frowned and touched his face, grimacing slightly. However, his expression soon turned to astonishment once he realized what Kyoya had said. Who in their right mind would ever ask him as a host? Zuko knew his faults; he was grumpy, quick-tempered, and awkward around girls, not to mention his rather obvious facial flaw. But now Kyoya claimed that he had a small following of girls that were attracted to him just because of his failings? It made no sense. But then, he'd always said that girls were crazy.

Grasping for words that could properly express his disbelief, Zuko settled for a gasping, "What?!" Honey simply smiled in reply before bounding over to the taller boy and grabbing his arm, effectively pulling him down to his level.

"Zu-chan, you should have noticed all those girls that stare at you all day! They are too afraid to say something, but they really like you! Right, Mori?"

Mori smiled slightly and replied with a short, "Mmm-hmm" in agreement. Zuko looked at him, gaping, and then looked away, pinching the bridge of his nose in irritation. He took a deep breath and collected himself before turning once more to the host club members, his features calm once more, although undercurrents of tension still showed in his fierce amber eyes.

"I appreciate the offer, even if I don't understand it, but I am going to have to refuse. After all, I do have to get home after school. Besides, I have no time for entertaining frivolous girls with foolish romantic inclinations. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must be going." With that, Zuko turned to leave, only to be stopped by Kyoya's voice.

"I'm sorry, Zuko-senpai, but you might wish to reconsider. After all, it would be terrible if the school were to find out just what it is that makes it so pressing for you to go home. I do believe that Haruhi is familiar with the fact that it is not permissible for students to serve in part-time jobs during the school year?"

Suddenly Zuko straightened, stopping dead in his tracks.

"Ah, yes," Tamaki added, his voice suddenly taking a slightly intimidating quality. "While I do enjoy instant coffee over tea these days, I can understand why one would spend their days quietly working in a tea shop, just as commoners do. It is unfortunate that it is not allowed."

"Yeah, I'll bet those girls would be sad to see you expelled," inserted the twins, smiling wickedly.

"So, what do you say, Zu-chan? Want to join our group? We can eat lots of cake together!"

Zuko glared at the boys around him, noticing that only Mori and the boy that they'd called Haruhi were silent, the one by nature, and the other seemingly taken aback by the audacity of his fellow club members. None of them seemed to notice the fury in his features, however, and he soon realized the futility of his situation. The host club might not know it, but Zuko had essentially zero influence with his father, despite his position as heir. In fact, even that position was in danger of being lost to his younger sister. Going up against these families would only enrage his father, and cause him to lose the last of his tenuous claim to royalty. It was already well known that his father was a cruel ruler, and his sister's succession would only worsen the tyranny within his country. He was his nation's last hope for justice; it would be foolish to sacrifice that simply because he refused to assist in some silly club's activities a few times a year.

"Fine. But only on a temporary basis," he acquiesced, still grimacing at the thought of joining such a flamboyant group. Then, with some trepidation, he ventured, "But…what exactly do I _do_?"

* * *

The next day, the host club was in full session, boasting the debut of its new host. Still reluctant to be there, Zuko spent as much time as possible away from the crowd, finding a kindred spirit in Haruhi. Together they avoided the spotlight, although Haruhi managed to steer them towards a clear view of Mori and Honey, hoping Katara would hold to her usual schedule.

Sure enough, Katara appeared, mostly observing from a distance, although she did spend some time speaking with Tamaki. By the time that she finally walked over to Mori, smiling in greeting, Zuko's face had gained a stormy countenance. He grumbled something that Haruhi could not hear and turned on his heel towards Tamaki, his face set in determination. When Haruhi next saw him, he was surrounded by guests, his abrupt demeanor and poor conversation skills not seeming to deter them from enjoying his presence. Although it seemed like he really was trying to entertain them; he was smiling slightly, and his movements slightly mimicked those of Tamaki. Unfortunately, the harder he tried, the sillier the poor boy looked, until the guests were giggling with glee over his awkwardness, despite his "cool and mysterious" look.

It wasn't long before Katara looked over and spotted Zuko. She frowned, and began giggling loudly, as though Mori had just told a very funny joke. Naturally, Zuko turned around, just to see her smiling and laughing with Honey and Mori (although Mori wasn't really doing much other than staring politely). In turn, Zuko mimicked Tamaki's favorite move, and took one of his guests' chins in his hand, maneuvering himself to be looking up at her slightly, causing the girl to squeal with glee.

What progressed from there can only be described as a jealous battle of affections. With each turn, Katara and Zuko grew more and more ridiculous in their advances. Finally, Katara moved to Mori's lap, causing Zuko to leap from his seat and cross the room over to her in a single bound.

"Katara! What do you think you are doing, hanging all over some man you barely know! You're engaged, and besides, it's improper! Get off him this instant!"

Katara leapt to her feet, her face mirroring the anger in Zuko's. "Well, I'm sorry, _Your Highness_, but I am a single, free woman now, and I can _hang_ over whoever I want!"

"Why you little---wait, what?" Zuko replied, his anger turning to confusion once he realized what Katara had said.

"That's right, you big jerk," Katara replied, the tears in her eyes detracting from her attempt to remain angry, "I left Aang FOR YOU. I came to this stupid school FOR YOU. And you can't even have the decency to say hello?! You just ignore me the entire time, even when I'm in your own classroom! I hate you!" By the end of her tirade, Katara had quieted down, her anger giving way to tearful frustration.

Zuko was left speechless for a moment before he wrapped his arms around Katara, his own eyes becoming watery. "Oh, Katara, I did it for you. You have to understand. All of it was for you. And after that day…when my father…I didn't think I was good enough for you anymore. I'm not, not really. I love you, Katara, but you deserve more than anything that I could hope to offer you."

Katara looked up at Zuko, frowning more fiercely than before, which startled Zuko into releasing her. "You were _never_ not good enough," she whispered with such conviction that it had the same effect as a shout. "I-I love you too, Zuko. And that is all I need. I don't care what are families say about it; you never give up, Zuko. So don't start now. Please."

It was the please that broke Zuko, and he took Katara in his arms and kissed her, forgetting all of the guests and hosts that were watching their display. When they finally broke apart, and they became aware of their surroundings much more, every guest was squealing with glee at the forbidden romance that had unfolded before their eyes.

Tamaki approached them, smiling, and said, "I think that your services are no longer needed as a host, Zuko-senpai."

"I happen to know some people in your respective countries, as well as your uncle," added Kyoya. "I believe that I can arrange for things to improve for the both of you, granted you are willing to work for it. You may have to depose your father, but then, I think that's for the best, don't you?"

Zuko moved his mouth, but the words stuck in his throat; he couldn't believe at how fast his luck had turned around in such a short period of time. Instead, Katara answered for him.

"Yes, oh, yes. Oh, thank you so much, Ootori-senpai, Suoh-senpai. And thank you, Mori-senpai, for putting up with my foolishness. Oh, thank you!"

* * *

The next week Zuko and Katara left to return to her father's country, where they would begin their efforts to topple Zuko's father and reinstate Zuko as the irrefutable heir. Standing, for the last time, in music room #3, the two of them said their goodbyes to the host club that had brought them together, and, when they finally turned to leave, Zuko took Katara's hand, leading her out the door into a future, together.

Once they left, Haruhi turned to Kyoya, and asked, "Kyoya-senpai, did you know all of this would happen?"

Kyoya smiled in reply and adjusted his glasses. "Well, if they succeed, we will have helped secure the throne for the leader of a very wealthy country, and one who is in our debt. And I have a strong suspicion that they will not fail."

Tamaki immediately began scolding Kyoya, raving about the purity of love that they had restored, and affirming that love would secure their future, and that the nothing mattered alongside the romance that they had restored. Haruhi just sighed. Some things never changed.

* * *

**That's all for today, folks...tune in tomorrow for Blood!! wow, that sounds so wrong...**


	2. Tuesday: Blood

**Here we go, Day 2!! Who knew I could update two days in a row! [watches excuses for not updating other stories go out the window]**

**Today is back to my dark, brooding, reflection-type pieces. I'm mixing up the writing styles alot this week; let me know which ones you like the best! I always love reviews!**

**Oh, and I am putting all my stuff up on DA, too, if you want to check it out over there. I really don't like reading fics on DA, though... FF is so much easier.**

**Without further adieu, enjoy!!**

**~Nicky**

**PS---I don't own Zuko. Or Katara. Or Avatar. Or even any fan memorabilia. Which makes me sad.**

* * *

**"Blood"**

Sometimes Katara wondered if her entire world would forever be colored red.

Even though the war had ended years ago, the bloodshed continued. Earth Kingdom civilians had formed small militias dotted across the land, seeking a more personal revenge on Fire Nation colonists. Fire Nation citizens, angry over the abrupt end to their one hundred years of glory, were rioting in the streets and holding violent protests against what they perceived as an era of submission by their government. Even her own people of the Water Tribes were involved in a less direct conflict, refusing to trade precious furs and oil without increased reparations from both the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom.

Peace was never supposed to be so violent.

Even her clothes seemed to reflect the bloody theme that surrounded her; she had taken up residence in the Fire Nation with her old friends in hopes of showing solidarity between the still-feuding nations, and thus she once again wore red nearly as much as she did her native blue. The walls were covered with rich, scarlet tapestries proclaiming the palace's proud history, and the floors were covered in fine rugs crossed with red and black. Even her bed sheets were colored a deep burgundy.

And all she could do was see the brutality it implied.

Perhaps the most terrible thing of all was her own awareness of the blood around her. Ever since that fateful night in the woods with Hama, she had slowly became able to sense the water pulsing in the veins of those around her, until her entire world seemed to throb in a million discordant heartbeats, all reminding her of the cruel talent that had become her curse.

* * *

The beginning of Katara's salvation from this crimson world came on a day that started just as any other.

It was a terrible atrocity that had somehow become commonplace in the five years since the war's end: Fire Nation soldiers forced to fight against citizens of their own nation. A small town, far from the Capital, had become a stronghold for a rebellion against the Fire Lord, and Katara had gone there with Aang in an attempt to reason with the rebels. Unfortunately, it soon became clear that reason would get them nowhere.

Aang, naturally, had insisted that there was another way, but Katara had known better, and sent word to the troops laying in reserve. She could not deny that the resulting battle had been a direct result of her report, but she knew that the few lives lost in the bloodshed paled in comparison to what might have happened had the rebels been allowed to proceed in their campaign.

Afterwards, Aang had confronted her, questioning her actions and wondering where the girl he'd fallen in love with had gone. It was a fight that had been occurring more and more since that day that they had shared a kiss in the sunset at Ba Sing Se, and every time she couldn't help but wonder which had really changed, her, or Aang's perception of her. Lately, it seemed they couldn't be together except to disagree. Strangely, she was reminded of another boy with whom she'd once done the same. Yet somehow it was different with him.

She rarely saw Zuko, save for diplomatic meetings, but she often thought of him, if only out of worry. Mai had left him two years ago, after she realized that he could never commit to both her and his nation. She was a strong woman, but no matter how she tried, she couldn't match his passion for peace, and so she left to serves as an ambassador to the Earth Kingdom, citing her previous experience from living in Omashu. It also happened to be one of the farthest points from Zuko.

To make things worse, Zuko had yet to find his mother. Somehow it seemed that something always seemed to get in the way. So he threw himself into his work, taking a break only to share tea with Iroh every afternoon. In fact, the last time she had seen him had been at a feast for the birthday of some important diplomat, and he had generally avoided any friendly contact above that which was considered necessary and proper.

Perhaps Zuko was suffering more than she was. After all, it was his own people that were dying.

"_Katara_! Are you even listening anymore? I don't understand what is with you anymore. What happened to you? What happened to _us_?"

Aang's voice jolted her out of her thoughts; he rarely shouted, and she had somehow tuned out the last part of his tirade. But his question made her realize that she had changed, although not in the way that Aang thought. She had simply grown up, and, in doing so, she had outgrown the childish, ideal world that Aang still lived in, and probably always would.

She must have voiced these words aloud, because suddenly Aang grew quiet, and his face became strangely accepting. He drew in a deep breath, and, with it, seemed to suck out the last of her resolve, and she crumbled, reaching for him with an apology already on her lips. He only shook his head, and put a hand, larger and stronger than she'd remembered—for some reason she thought of all the time he'd been spending with Toph, lately—and smiled, a little sadly. When he spoke, it was not as the fun-loving teenager on the cusp of adulthood, but as the Avatar, with hundreds of lifetimes of experience and wisdom.

"You know, Katara, you may be right. While I don't agree that my belief in nonviolence is childish, I do think that, you have grown up, and, in doing so, we've grown apart. You'll always be my friend, and I'll always love you, but I don't think that we are destined to be together, like I thought. When Madam Wu said that you would marry a powerful bender-" _How had he found that out?_ "-I thought that I had found my destiny. But I think that you need someone who can understand that part of you that I never will, and that I need someone that can stop seeing me as a twelve-year-old kid with too much on my shoulders."

Katara just stared, unable to form a rebuttal. He was right, and, even as she realized it should hurt to hear it, she only felt relief. When had they drifted so far apart? Somehow, it didn't seem like today, or even this year. Finally she nodded, with tears in her eyes, and told Aang to leave and clear up the battlefield. After a few minutes, she wiped her eyes, stood up—when had she even sat down?—and left to heal the bloodied wounded.

And as much as she felt relief at finally setting things right with Aang, and knowing they would never again argue like they had the past few years, something was missing. And she couldn't help but think, was this how Zuko felt when Mai left?

* * *

Slowly over the next few months, Katara found a hold on her life. She and Aang had returned to the happy relationship they'd shared in their younger days, when she had mothered him a little too much and he had showed her how to relax and enjoy life. She no longer went on diplomatic missions with him; Toph had swiftly become his new partner in crime. Instead, she chose to begin a school of healing in the Fire Nation Capital, for benders and non-benders of all nations. It was a resounding success, and she was too busy to dwell on her conflicted surroundings.

Despite all of her time spent in the palace and its grounds now that she lived there full-time, she rarely saw Zuko. Indeed, Iroh complained that his nephew rarely made time for their afternoon tea, and, on some days, skipped it entirely. She couldn't help but worry about him, and had resolved to check in on him numerous times, but somehow she always seemed to find an excuse to avoid the end of the palace hosting the Offices of the Fire Lord, and she never went down the main hall, where the War Chamber with its grand doors and towering flames claimed its home.

She blamed it on the terrible reminders of the war, and the people she lost, but, deep inside, she knew she was avoiding Zuko. Not that she had a reason to, she assured herself. Only, she seemed to be more aware of one specific heartbeat, its rhythm missing a beat every now and then. And somehow, it grew louder the closer she went into those halls.

* * *

One year later, she had grown used to that singular, strained pulse, and nearly forgotten it was there. Then, one day, she noticed that it was gone. It was not a sudden revelation, but rather a gradual realization that reached the front of her mind just as Iroh ran up to her, eyes worried, telling her that Zuko was gone.

Aang and Toph were out on a mission to the Earth Kingdom, and so Katara took Sokka, leaving his wife and child in order to follow Zuko's trail, just as he had done to them so many years ago. It was a strange reversal, but when Katara said as much, Sokka only shrugged, saying that it was about time Zuko had someone come for him. Katara couldn't help but think that it was a very strange thing to say, but somehow she agreed.

During their journey, Katara realized for the first time just how much she had let the violence consume her. As they traveled, by ship and by komodo lizard, she saw a world that was healing, and happy. Yes, there were skirmishes that resulted in tragedy, but there was so much more good than bad. New schools, better jobs, cleaner water, increased agriculture, growing industries; in some towns there were people of every nation cohabitating peacefully, each contributing their own special skills.

For the first time in a long time, she realized that the world she thought was so consumed with blood and conflict was actually slowly coming into balance. For the first time since the war's end, she saw greens and blues, purples and yellows, and she felt hope, which had once been such a deep part of who she was, return.

* * *

They found Zuko in small town in the outskirts of the great desert in the Earth Kingdom, sitting next to a bed, weeping silently, and holding the hand of a beautiful woman marked by age and hunger. It appeared that she had passed away with a smile on her lips.

He had found his mother, and, Katara couldn't help but notice the peaceful look on her face, even in death.

Zuko seemed to see it, too. He turned to her, and, with a look that moved her to tears, said, "She's happy now. I know it. I just wish she didn't have to leave again so soon."

And Katara realized that the strange pulse she'd felt before, losing its rhythm every once in a while, had returned, and it belonged to the Fire Lord. She moved over to him with arms wide open for a comforting hug, but Zuko flinched and looked away. At first she drew back, afraid of embarrassing him, but then she realized that Zuko wasn't embarrassed, he was afraid. And he had every reason to be; after all, he'd never had a woman in his life that had stayed with him, even his own mom.

Suddenly, Katara knew that she wanted to be the one person that did stick by him. She rushed over in a fierce embrace, clinging to him with all her might, and slowly he did the same. They sat there for what felt like hours, rocking back in forth in a desperate embrace, weeping and laughing and simply letting go. Sokka had left at some point, returning hours later with food and a little bit of Earth Kingdom liquor. By then, they had settled into a comfortable silence, and the tears had subsided into quiet reflection.

* * *

When they went back to the Fire Nation with two members of the royal family, one resting quietly in a simple, red urn, things were different for Katara. Instead of bloody aggression, red stood for vitality, and the pulse of the blood in those around her was proof of the life that inside them.

These days, Katara made a point to visit the hall where the Fire Lord sat in his study every day, making sure that Zuko never missed a tea time with his Uncle. She even sat in the war chamber when it was opened up for petitions from Fire Nation citizens, advising Zuko on medicine and foreign relations from his right side. And Zuko made sure that he ate dinner every night in the Royal Dining Room, inviting any and all of his friends that were currently residing in the palace. Katara never missed a meal.

When Sokka and Suki returned to the Southern Water Tribe, to help prepare to take over its leadership from their father, she didn't feel left behind. Instead, she promised to visit soon, and rejoiced that she would be able to remain in the Fire Nation with the one man that truly understood her.

Then, when Aang and Toph declared their budding relationship, Katara was genuinely happy. Although, for some reason she didn't want to admit, she began to wonder if Zuko would ever kiss her.

Three weeks later, he did, and it set her blood racing.

Three years later, Katara received the most beautiful engagement necklace she had ever seen, set on a deep red ribbon.

Six months after that, Fire Lady Katara met her people with a smile on her face, feeling the blood of life flowing through her new nation, and praised the glory of the peace that had descended upon her world.

* * *

**Hope you liked it! Up next is day 3: Jealousy! Then, after that, it's thursday, and then it's mah birfday! yay!! I'll be 21, finally!!!!!!!! :D**

**review, if you so please, but faves and alerts are fun, too!**


	3. Wednesday: Jealousy

**Here's day 3...with 15 minutes to spare!! :/ haha.**

**Not my best, since I didn't "beta" it as well as usual, but i still like it...it starts out serious and then changes towards the end to something lighter. and IT'S ZUKO-CENTRIC!!! My first time with one of those! haha.**

**Anyways, enjoy, and review! :D**

**~Nicky**

**PS--i don't own avatar. if i did, it'd be ZUKO-CENTRIC, to quote myself about 2 lines up. XD**

* * *

"**Jealousy"**

Zuko was no stranger to his faults. In fact, over the years he'd become quite familiar with him, eventually learning to turn most of them into an advantage. He'd finally learned to control his legendary temper and channel all of that energy into more useful undertakings. He had harnessed his relentless drive and blind determination, moderating it with the wisdom and patience that he'd learned from his uncle. In fact, there was only one emotion that still managed to evade his control after all these years.

No matter that he was now the Fire Lord, and one of the most powerful people in the four nations; Zuko was a very jealous man.

His first experience with jealousy came at a very young age. Ever since he could remember, Azula had been his father's favorite. While Zuko struggled to progress in every aspect of his life, his sister breezed through it. She had her father's love, attention, and favor, while the only time his father acknowledged him was to criticize his progress or push him out of the way.

Yes, Zuko had envied Azula to an extreme, and, as much as it shamed him, he hadn't been able to let go of that resentment until long after she had lost everything.

Of course, that was only one example of Zuko's jealous tendencies.

After his banishment, Zuko had been confused and hurt, and degenerated into a world of self-loathing. As such, he began to resent anyone that could claim something he could not.

He envied his uncle's ease with strangers, and the way that fire bending was as easy to him as breathing. He hated the way Uncle could just forget all of the terrible things in his past and just be so happy all the time.

He wished for the freedom to return to the Fire Nation that each man in his crew possessed, even if it was only in theory.

He resented those Earth Kingdom citizens and Water Tribesmen who stood against him with courage and honor, knowing that they had a home to return to, and giving their all to protect it.

He was jealous of Mai's aloofness, and Ty Lee's optimism.

But most of all, Zuko was jealous of the Avatar. Why was it, he often wondered, that the hope of the world, and the receiver of all of the glory and talent and destiny that came with that title, lied in a foolish, hyperactive twelve year old nomad who cared more about playing and making friends than his duty?

Why was it that even his own father preferred the Avatar over the banished prince? Didn't the Avatar have enough friends, and followers? Sure, the Fire Lord wanted the Avatar in order to defeat him, not follow him, but Zuko had no doubt that Ozai would sacrifice his own son to get the Avatar, and do so without regret.

To make things worse, things seemed to always work out for the Avatar, just as they had for Azula. Everything went well for the boy eventually, whether it be mastering a new type of bending, escaping from an enemy, or saving a town from some disaster. And he just seemed to take it for granted! It wasn't fair that Zuko's own luck could be so poor when he was surrounded by those who seemed to radiate good fortune.

These feelings of jealousy ate away at Zuko until he couldn't remember a time when he'd felt anything else, and he felt his heart slowly beginning to crumble away. But then, that day in Ba Sing Se when he'd freed the Avatar's bison, Zuko realized that his jealousy was completely irrational. The Avatar suffered just as much as he did, even with his good luck. In fact, the two were much more alike than he'd ever realized.

It was extremely liberating to finally be free of so much resentment and distrust. He never realized how much it was destroying him until it was gone. Suddenly, Zuko felt at peace with himself, for the first time since his mother had left.

But, for Zuko at least, a good thing can only last so long, and soon that jealousy would haunt him one more.

It started in a small cave underneath Ba Sing Se, where everything—his father, the war, Azula, prison—had faded away, leaving only himself and a girl, both of them sharing the pain of losing a mother. Her hand rested on his scar, but there was no judgment or pity in her gaze, only understanding and faith, and it rocked him to his core. But, all too soon, the moment was broken as the walls exploded in a shower of earth to reveal the Avatar, his eyes blazing with accusation and distrust.

It was that moment, as Katara left with the Avatar, and left Zuko behind, that he felt that familiar twinge of envy settle into his stomach.

Looking back, that, more than anything, was likely the cause for his choice to join Azula that day. After all, he felt envious of both Azula and the Avatar, but what he felt towards Azula had been with him all his life; it was something he knew he could handle. But these feelings towards the Avatar, all centered on this one girl, were so strong, and so strange, that it scared him. He wasn't sure he could deal with this new jealousy as he had in the past, especially when he didn't even know where it had come from.

It wasn't until that same girl, this time as a frustrated, overprotective water bending master, confronted him in a musty room in the Western Air Temple that Zuko finally realized where those feelings of jealousy were coming from.

The Avatar loved Katara, and she loved him, in return. To this, there was no doubt. She protected him, nurtured him, and guided him through every step of their journey, and, no matter what, the Avatar always took the priority in his life.

On its own, this wouldn't normally be a problem. The hitch was, Zuko loved Katara, too. And as much as he tried to deny it to himself, he wanted to be the priority in her life.

Zuko didn't have much experience with love, but he knew that when he loved someone, truly loved them, jealousy was somehow not far behind. He loved his uncle, and was jealous when the old man put his attentions elsewhere. He loved his mother, and was jealous whenever she stopped to smile at Azula, or had to spend time away from him. He had loved Mai, and proven his jealous nature when he'd ransacked that home on Ember Island. And now it seemed he felt the same for Katara.

The difference was, in those other cases, there was no real justification for Zuko to be jealous. But, with Katara, there was. And it killed Zuko every time he had to watch Aang moon over Katara, with her seemingly oblivious to both their affections.

Despite all of this, though, there was still a war to be won, and Zuko knew that no one, most especially Aang, could afford distractions. So he buried his feelings deep inside him, throwing himself into preparing for the battles ahead.

That year after the war had ended and Zuko assumed the throne had been chaotic, to say the least. Mai had returned from prison, only to vanish three months later, along with Ty Lee. The two had been last seen touring with a traveling circus that was rapidly gaining popularity in the Earth Kingdom. Sokka had finally proposed to Suki, and they were currently debating over a Kyoshi Island or Water Tribe wedding. Most surprisingly, Aang and Katara, after sharing a romantic kiss in the sunset at Ba Sing Se, had spent nearly the entire year apart, with Aang traveling the globe to help spread peace while Katara returned to assist in the rebuilding of the Southern Water Tribe. Meanwhile, Toph had replaced Long Feng as the leader of the Dai Lee, and the Earth King's top advisor.

The first time that the entire group was finally able to get back together didn't occur until the anniversary feast commemorating one year's passage since the end of the war. There was a grand feast, with a ball to follow, and Katara had spent nearly the entire time with Aang, fussing over his new clothes, his added height, even his voice, which was already beginning to change, much to Zuko's chagrin.

While Katara and Aang were enjoying their reunion, Zuko had been forced to toast to the new peace with nearly every diplomat and world leader that he met, until, unwittingly, he passed well into the realm of inebriation. Emboldened by the drinks resting in his stomach, Zuko decided that it was finally time to end the ridiculous jealousy that had plagued him for over a year.

He walked up to where his two friends were talking, and immediately began criticizing them for ostracizing all of the guests this evening.

"I don't care if it's been a hundred years since you've seen each other," he stated, swaying slightly, "There are other people here that want to talk to you, too!"

"Besides," he added, in a much quieter voice, "I am sure that I am more interesting than that boring old monk." It was obvious that Zuko had not meant to speak aloud, but, with his mind clouded by alcohol, he had not been able to censor himself as well as he may have done before.

Aang and Katara had simply stared at him in astonishment before they both started laughing.

"Oh, Zuko," Katara giggled, "Are you _jealous_?"

Zuko chose not to respond, instead sticking his nose in the air in a manner that may have seemed regal if he had not stumbled slightly at the same moment. Katara took his silence as confirmation of her suspicions.

"Zuko, Aang and I broke up eight months ago. He's actually dating Toph, now. I was just talking to him about it!"

Zuko opened his mouth to reply, but couldn't seem to form the words necessary to voice his feelings, right them. So instead, he did something he would never have done at any other time in his life.

He kissed her senseless.

Zuko still has problems with jealousy. But now, whenever it gets out of hand, a water whip to the back of the head by the Fire Lady usually suffices in getting it under control.

* * *

**That's all folks! Day 4 will be up soon, starring...Cactus Juice! (You got a tiny hint of it today, i think... :D)**


	4. Thursday: Cactus Juice

**Annnnd the next one is up in record time!!! I really have to write ones for Sat. and Sun. still...and i'll be hungover on Saturday from my 21st party on friday, so i have to get it done now!! ahh!!! haha. no worries, I'll still do it. tomorrow is my b-day! woot!**

**this one is my favorite; it's based on a comic i sketched out a long time ago, but never actually got around to making, so i figured, heck, write a fanfic for zutara week! :D**

**let me know what you think! **

**~Nicky**

**PS--i don't own AtLA. If i did, this would have happened. haha.**

* * *

"**Cactus Juice"**

It was the beginning of yet another long day of training for Aang and his friends in the Western Air Temple, and, once again, it had started with a banished prince dragging a bleary-eyed Avatar out of his sleeping mat for morning meditation, followed by firebending practice. Not the most hospitable person under normal circumstances, Zuko had been especially irritable as of late, no doubt due to the unstable waterbending master that had been following and analyzing his every move, searching for a sign that he was still working for the Fire Nation, and would betray them any minute.

"We really need to get Sparky to lighten up," Toph had announced once the two had left, and Katara was safely out of earshot.

"But, Toph…he already got his firebending back," replied a confused Sokka, still rubbing sleep from his eyes. He glanced over to where his girlfriend, Suki, was cleaning up her sleeping area, and moved as if to help, but Toph bent a rock into the back of his head, sufficiently pulling his attention back to her.

"No, Meathead, I mean he needs to stop being Prince Gloomy all the time. Sure, it's fun to pick on him since he's always so serious, but this is ridiculous. What's the fun in teasing a guy that won't respond to it? That's why we need to get him to lighten up."

"Oh! Right. Weeellll," Sokka began, grinning stupidly, "We could ways set him on fire! Then he'd REALLY lighten up! Get it? Lighten up? Fire? Hah!"

Suddenly the earth moved, and Sokka was sent flying nearly 30 feet in the air. After the water tribe boy landed with a particularly satisfying "_Oomph_", Toph dusted off her hands, a look of smug satisfaction on her face.

"No."

Sokka groaned and began to whine in protest at Toph's harsh methods of criticism, but, after seeing the menacing look on her face, thought better of it. Just then, Zuko and Aang walked by, having finished the early stages of firebending practice. Both were shirtless and covered in a light sheen of sweat, with Aang considerably more winded than his older teacher.

"Man, Zuko, I forgot how hot the Fire Nation is. I'm so thirsty," Aang groaned, fanning his face with both hands.

"Go get a drink from the fountain before we go into the next movements, then, Aang," Zuko replied, his tone betraying his impatience to get started. Nevertheless, Aang bounded over to the fountain, shouting a quick, "Thanks, Sifu Hotman!" behind him.

While Zuko was groaning over the short attention span of his pupil, Katara had appeared on the scene, glaring daggers at the banished prince while going through the motions of folding laundry. Naturally, this did nothing to improve Zuko's mood, and soon he was frowning in a way that spoke of a painful training session to come for the Avatar.

Clueless, Aang returned as cheerful as ever, announcing, "Man, that water really hit the spot. You know what they say; It'll quench ya! Remember that, Sokka?"

Soon the whole group, minus a very confused Zuko, was chuckling at the memory of Sokka's encounter with cactus juice. Finally tired of being left out of the joke, Zuko grabbed Aang's collar and dragged him back to their firebending spot, grumbling, "Yeah, yeah, real funny. Now, back to work, and maybe we can get The Flight of the Phoenix down before lunch, _if_ you work hard enough."

As the two benders left once more, with Aang groaning loudly in protest, Sokka's face lit up. "I've got it! I know how to make Zuko relax!"

Toph grinned maniacally, having caught on to Sokka's idea, while Suki frowned.

"I don't know if I like the way this is going…"

* * *

Two days later, during dinner, Sokka announced that he and Suki had made a special fruit drink for everyone, to celebrate Aang's improvement in bending. Zuko noticed that his drink, which was surprisingly clear, had a very peculiar taste to it, but neglected to say anything, reluctant to offend Sokka when they'd only recently started being on friendly terms. Sokka, on the other hand, was trying his best not to burst out laughing at Zuko's gullibility. Katara noticed her brother's snickering, but neglected to comment on it, writing it off as him being overly excited at having had so much free time with Suki that day.

Ten minutes later, Zuko was finally "lit".

"Wow," he announced abruptly, eyes staring into the fire, "Did you guys notice how there is a little blue inside of every fire? That proves it! Water is everywhere…even when it's nowhere!" Eyes wide, he turned to Toph, who was next to him, and, in a very poor attempt at a whisper, stated, "You know, a water bender is out to kill me."

"Psh, please, Zuko," Toph replied, struggling to contain her laughter, "Don't tell me you'd let some lame element like water beat you."

"Hey," Katara yelled across the fire, "Don't knock water! Water is definitely the best element. It's way better than fire, anyway."

When Zuko heard Katara's voice, he ducked down and crawled around to her side of the fire. When Aang asked what he was doing, he turned to him, eyes wide in fear, and whispered loudly, "That's the one! The one that wants to kill me! She's out there, somewhere!"

Zuko then turned to Katara, whose face was locked in a strange expression halfway between shock and rage, and let out a heavy sigh of relief. "Oh, thank goodness it's you, Queen of the Hair Loopies! There is a terrible Waterbender out to get me! I can hear her! You have to save me!" By the end of his outburst, Zuko had wrapped his arms around Katara, burying his head into her chest.

"Um, do you have a death wish or something?" Katara wondered aloud. After all, _she_ was the "crazed water bender" that Zuko was raging about. The poor guy didn't seem to put two and two together, though, and just hugged her tighter, his eyes shut tight, as if not seeing anything might make the supposed threat go away.

By now, Toph and Sokka were in hysterics, unable to control their mirth any longer, while Aang's eyes were popping out of his head, unable to process what was occurring right in front of him. The rest of those present were laughing worriedly, as if unsure whether to join Toph and Sokka in rolling on the ground in hilarity or to go stop Zuko before he did something that really would get himself killed.

Katara looked up to see her brother and Toph's reactions, and immediately knew that something was amiss. "Sokka," she admonished, in her most condemning voice, "Did you do something to Zuko?"

Sokka sat up, still chuckling, and wiped tears of laughter from his eyes. "Well, it wasn't my idea! At least, not at first. I mean, I had the idea for the cactus juice, sure, but not the initial thought for the whole plan…Toph made me do it!"

Toph just shrugged, saying, "Well, Sugar Queen, you had the guy so uptight that we had to do _something_."

"So you gave him _cactus juice_?!"

"Well, yeah," Toph replied, her face utterly relaxed, "Snoozles thought up the details, but I provided the proper motivation. It seemed to have had the opposite effect, though. It was supposed to get him to loosen up."

"Yeah, did I get this paranoid when I was on cactus juice?" Sokka asked, pointing to the now-whimpering Zuko that was still clinging to Katara.

"Nah, you just wanted to go make friends with a cloud. Apparently Zuko has issues," Toph replied, cooly.

"Well I for one will not stand for this. Poor Zuko," Katara murmured, stroking the Fire Prince's dark hair, "Were they mean to you? Don't worry. I'll take care of you. Come on, let me get you to your room. That's it. There's no big bad waterbenders out there tonight."

The group stared as Katara led her self-proclaimed worst enemy out of the common area by the hand, murmuring to him reassuringly and stroking his head as if he were a small puppy that needed rescuing.

"What I want to know," Toph stated, once they had left, "Is why in the world Zuko went to Katara, when she's the one that was threatening him? That cactus juice must really mess you up."

Aang began sputtering in confusion, waving his arms and shouting, "W-wait, Katara? Threatening Zuko? What?!"

Toph and Sokka ignored him, not willing to explain the situation to the oblivious Avatar when more interesting things were afoot.

"Well, what _I_ want to know," Sokka replied, stroking his chin as if in deep thought, "Is how Katara got over her whole 'I hate Zuko because he's going to betray us all' thing within the span of one minute. I mean, she let him _hug_ her, and they just left _holding hands_!"

"Well, regardless of the reason, we have good news and bad news. The bad news is, the cactus juice didn't work; it actually made Zuko more tense," Toph remarked, "But it did have an unexpected, and pleasant, side effect. Katara seems to have completely changed her mind about Zuko; now he's not an enemy, he's more like a poor lost puppy that needs her to look after. Looks like you've been replace, Twinkletoes."

Sokka groaned, while Aang was still voicing his desire to know what was going on. "Oh great," Sokka sighed, "Now Katara's got _another_ charity case to look after."

For some reason, the Duke chose this time to speak. "You mean like Jet?"

Sokka slapped his forehead in frustration. "Oh, great. Now _I_ have a bad feeling about this."

Toph only laughed. Everything had gone according to plan, after all. It was about time Zuko and Katara stopped being in denial about their little love-hate relationship. Now the fun would really begin.

* * *

**Hoped you had as much fun reading as I did writing! :D see you tomorrow for my birfday! **


	5. Friday: Fireflies

**It's my birthday!! that's right, today i am 21 years old! And it happened in the middle of zutara week; could anything be more perfect? haha. XD seriously i am soooo pumped.**

**i really wanted to make this a good one for my b-day...let me know if you like it! and leave a review for the birthday girl! :D**

**~Nicky**

**PS---i don't own avatar. that would be an awesome present, though!!!**

* * *

"**Fireflies"**

Zuko and Katara had just defeated Azula, and now they were sitting on the steps of the palace, waiting in silence to find out if the rest of their friends had met with the same success. Azula was still screaming in frustrated rage back in the Agni Kai arena, and it had taken some time before Katara could drag Zuko away from the scene. Now he seemed frozen, unaware even of the lingering pain in his chest where Azula's lightning had hit only an hour before.

Katara's heart reached out for him, and she sat there, her mind in turmoil, struggling for the words that would make all of the day's events go away. They had won; Zuko was Fire Lord now. So why did it still feel as if they had lost?

Desperate for anything to take their minds off of Azula, Katara suddenly remembered something that Toph had mentioned to her once.

"Zuko, could you tell me about the fireflies?"

Zuko's entire body seemed to snap to attention, as if startled out of a deep sleep. "What?"

"Well, Toph mentioned something about them, once, and I just thought…well, I was curious. She…she said that when you talked about them, it felt like she could see them, you know; actually _see_ what you were talking about. And, well, that's kind of a big deal, for Toph."

Zuko frowned and looked at Katara as if he doubted her story, and she replied, defensively, "What? Toph and I talk. I know we don't always get along, but she still tells me stuff. But if you don't want to tell me, fine. I just thought…"

Zuko put a shoulder on Katara, and she turned her face towards him to meet his eyes. She wondered if they had always looked so tired, and hopeless. Somehow, it didn't suit him.

"Katara," he replied, his voice suddenly quiet, "I don't mind. I was just surprised to hear you ask. If you want to know, I'll tell you." Suddenly, Zuko smiled, and Katara felt her breath catch. She had seen Zuko smile before, in an awkward attempt to fit in, or in relief, or even in sarcasm, but this one somehow seemed more real than ever before. It was a little too sad, lopsided, and awkward, but she felt like she had just seen the real Zuko, and for some reason, it set her heart pounding.

"Anyways, fireflies are these little tiny bugs that live all over the Fire Nation, especially in the open areas, and they like to come out just before sunset. They really don't start coming out until later in the summer, and in the fall; I think that's why you never really saw them when you were in the Fire Nation.

"You see, the fireflies, during the day, are just little, ugly black bugs, and they look a lot like little fly-beetles, so they have to hide in the grass and bushes in order to keep from getting eaten. But at night, when the sun goes down, they come out by the hundreds, and they glow so brilliantly, that they can light up an entire city.

"When we have festivals, some of the villagers capture the fireflies and put them in lanterns, and use them for light instead of our fire-lamps. I used to sneak out of the palace to one of the street festivals in the capital, and even there you would see firefly lanterns on every corner. Of course, you have to be careful not to kill them."

"Why would people care so much about that," Katara asked, having trouble imagining deadly Fire Nation soldiers taking the time to be sure to avoid squashing a tiny little bug.

Zuko looked at her as if it was obvious, but seemed to read her confusion, and decided not to be offended. "Well, you see, it's kind of a long story…"

"I think we have plenty of time," Katara replied, motioning for him to continue. Zuko sighed, and resumed his narration.

"Ok, well, my mother told me the story of the lost traveler. He was searching for something important to him, you see…"

Once upon a time, a young man, no older than you and I, was very impulsive and naïve, but he had a kind heart, and an open mind. Back then, the different clans in the Fire Nation were constantly at war with one another, and this boy had lost his family in one of those battles. Instead of revenge, however, the young man wanted to find peace for his people, so he visited the wise man that lived up in the great mountains for advice.

It was a long journey, but eventually the boy made it, and the wise man told him of a place hidden within the mountains that held the answers. It had never been found by anyone before, and no one that had searched for it had ever returned, but if this boy was worthy, he would be successful.

The young man set out on this journey, carrying with him only a knife and a flask for water, having been told he'd need nothing else. For ten days he searched the mountainside, finding his food by foraging for berries and fishing, resting at night and searching through the day. But as the boy climbed ventured deeper into the mountains, food became more and more scarce, and the sun descended earlier and earlier behind the vast peaks above him. By the tenth day, he was hungry and tired, and the sun was only visible for a few hours in the day. The boy didn't give up, though.

The young man realized how much he'd been taking for granted during his journey. Without the sun, he could never have even begun it. Maybe, even though it was disappearing, he could still seek its assistance. So he looked to the sky and sent a prayer to Agni, asking the god to send some of his light during the darkness, so he could search twice as long. That night, the stars appeared in the sky, adding light even when the moon couldn't rise above the tall mountain peaks. But it still wasn't enough, and, the next day, rather than despair, the boy prayed again, asking for some of the twinkling lights in the sky to come down to earth, to lead his way.

The boy never wavered in his trust of the sun god, and that evening the stars came down from the heavens and lead him to the den of the dragons. That same boy became the first fire bender, and returned from the mountains to unite all of the clans under his name, finally establishing what would come to be known as the Fire Nation. Because of his mastery over the sun's element, they called him the Fire Lord, a title that would be passed down to his descendants, along with his abilities. And the stars that Agni sent down remained on earth as fireflies, coming out at night to remind his people that sometimes hope comes to in small packages, even in the darkest of times.

Blushing, Zuko rubbed the back of his head, self-conscious now that he'd told Katara a story that Azula had ridiculed as foolish and childish. "Uh, yeah. Anyways, the story of just how the boy got his fire bending from the dragons is a whole other deal, and a lot longer, but…yeah. That's about it."

Katara stared at Zuko for a long time after, causing him to grow more and more uncomfortable until he finally stood up and turned to walk away, assuming that she had come to the same conclusion about the story's quality as Azula had so many years ago. Before he could get very far, however, he felt a tug at his hand, holding him back.

He turned to see Katara right behind him, her eyes glistening. Before he could say a word, she said, quietly, "Zuko, I think that I finally understand you. Your mother was a very wise woman, if she told you that story. And I think that boy is a lot like you. You're going to make an excellent fire lord, you know. And I…"

At that moment, Katara looked up to see that the sun was already setting; it seemed as if her friends would not be returning until the next day. Zuko's eyes followed her gaze, and he smiled again, turning her legs into jelly.

"Katara…come with me."

She had no idea where they were going, only that she couldn't, wouldn't stop. They ran through the palace until they reached a small garden, with a little pond where some turtleducks were swimming. And just then, as the sun dipped below the horizon, hundreds of fireflies rose into the air, surrounding them.

They stood there until a servant stopped to set a blanket out for them, and then they looked away only to sit down. They sat there, watching the fireflies all night, and when the morning came Zuko awoke to see Katara curled up next to him. Apparently they had fallen asleep on the spot. He woke her gently, and she smiled at him.

"Zuko, I think I realized something last night."

Zuko looked at her questioningly, and she continued, "Well, I was thinking about your story from last night. You know, everyone always says that I am so hopeful all the time. And I always took it for granted. But now I think there was something more to that. When you left our village with Aang, I felt hope return for the first time since my mother died. A lot of it was hearing that the Avatar was back, but I think it also came from seeing a Fire Nation leader, dressed just like those who had terrorized my home without cause for years, keep his word, and leave us alone, when he could just as easily wiped us out and still captured the Avatar.

"Then, whenever we saw you chasing us, we knew that it wasn't Azula; it was a sign that we were still alive, and still had a chance. And that you'd never hurt us; even in the Northern Water Tribe, you never tried to kill us, even Aang. And you had a determination that was contagious, at least for me. Then in Ba Sing Se…Zuko, I don't think I'd ever felt so much hope, or so much betrayal, in my entire life. And I hated that I still kept hoping that you'd rejoin us, even after all you'd done."

"Katara, I—"

"No, let me finish. When you came back, I hated so much about you. I hated that I was relieved to see you, or that everyone else was, too. I hated relying on someone that had crushed my hopes. But when we went on that trip to avenge my mother…and then, when you saved me, from the falling rocks, from Azula's lightning…Zuko, I realized something. It took me a while, but I get it now.

"You know, that boy got his hope from the fireflies, and your uncle said that yours came from the Avatar. I always thought mine came from Aang. But, looking back…I think most of my hope came from you."

Katara took a deep breath, and looked into Zuko's eyes.

"I think I might be in love with you, Zuko."

Zuko's eyes widened in shock, and he stared at her for a moment in disbelief. Just as Katara was beginning to regret her confession, he took her in his arms and smiled again.

"You know, I don't think I would step in front of lightning for just anyone," Zuko replied, his voice quieter and gentler than she'd ever remembered.

"I guess what I mean is, I think I love you, too."

* * *

**hope you liked it! don't forget to review!!**


	6. Saturday: Rhythm

**Well, it's a new day, and that means a new chapter of Zutara Week! :D Seriously this has been so much fun! I can't believe it's almost over, though D: I hope that you all have enjoyed it as much as I have!**

**thanks for all of the comments thus far; I really appreciate them! In case you were wondering, my birthday was awesome, although I am a little blah today...haha. XD**

**Today features Toph's POV, so I hope I did it justice!!! **

**~Nicky**

**PS--I don't own AtLA. Not that it should surprise you.**

* * *

"**Rhythm"**

Most people characterize other by sight: their faces, body language, height, weight, etc. But, for me, things are a bit different. I have to distinguish people by sound and vibration. Together, they form a sort of rhythm that's unique to each person. And, naturally, the ones that I know best are my friends.

Twinkletoes has a rhythm that's quick and light. It's kind of spirited and carefree, just like him. You can tell when things get tough, though, when it starts to get a bit heavy and dragging. That's usually when being the Avatar starts to weigh on him, and I have to beat some sense back into the guy.

Snoozles has a beat that's also pretty fast-paced, and it never seems to stop changing. He's almost as hard to pin down as Twinkles, but, where Twinkles is pretty smooth, his is fluid and shifting. I think it has something to do with being Water Tribe. Plus, the guy's mind is always analyzing and adapting, so I think it translates into his movements, too.

Fan Girl's rhythm is, as much as I hate to admit it, graceful. It has a slow and strong beat, with little underlying currents that, unfortunately, prove to me that the charm and beauty that Snoozles always talks about isn't just a figment of his imagination.

As for Sugar Queen, her rhythm isn't what you might expect. Like her brother, it has a kind of fluid quality, but where his is fast and twisting; hers is slow-moving and stubborn. It does have a certain beauty to it, but it's also deep and pronounced, and there's something fiery in there that shows the girl's got a lot of passion underneath that sugary exterior.

Then there's Sparky. As much as I like the guy, he's got no sense of rhythm. When I first met him, it was chaotic and messy; the beats were spread all over the place, so that I never knew what he would do next. Then, after he went dancing with the dragons, things slowed down a bit, and he finally settled into a strange new rhythm that's still pretty conflicted, but at least this time it's more consistent. Now he has a forceful, booming tempo that always seems at war with a slower, gentler one. I don't think he'll ever achieve the calm, harmonious rhythm that his uncle does.

What interests me the most, though, is how the rhythms change as they come together.

For example, though it never ceases to disgust me, when Snoozles and Fan Girl are in the same room, their heartbeats speed up, and their rhythms start to pulse in unison, like two different songs with the same underlying beat. In fact, it's so obvious that they are in love that it makes me want to hurl.

Of course, it isn't always due to romantic reasons that the rhythms change or sync up. Whenever Snoozes and Sugar Queen are together, the part of them that seems to scream "Water Tribe" becomes more pronounced, and usually one or both of them get a sort of "I love you but you drive me crazy" vibe going on. I'm not sure how to explain it, but it's obvious once you hear it.

Other times, the rhythms don't change at all. Fan Girl has no affect on Twinkletoes, for example, and the only thing that changes between Sparky and Snoozles is that Sparky always gets a little more irritated than usual, although I am starting to think that Sparky is more amused by Snoozles than he lets on.

But there is one pairing that never ceases to entertain me.

Believe it or not, Sparky and Sugar Queen, no matter how unlikely a match their rhythms may sound when they are apart, synch up perfectly when they come together. The part of Sugar Queen that is stubborn and slow speeds up, while Sparky's chaotic tones settle down a bit, so that hers fits perfectly right in the middle.

They don't share a single note, like Fan Girl and Snoozles, but they come together to form a really beautiful rhythm, almost like a song. Of course, that sounds kind of corny, but it is actually kind of cool. I mean, even the World's Greatest Metalbender can enjoy good music from time to time.

In any case, if that's what they sound like when they are together now, when all they do is fight, I bet it would be really cool to hear it when they are actually getting along. The next time things get boring, I think I might have to test it out. I'll just have to make sure to keep Twinkletoes out of the way…

* * *

**...and then both Taang AND Zutara AND Sukka happen! XD ahahahahahaha. or just think whatever you want, since there is tons of one-sided Tokka there too.**

**review! :D**


	7. Sunday: Lick

**LAst one!!! ::cries:: I'm gonna miss it! I have never been this productive, or creative, EVER! But I did get a serious renewal in my urge to write, so I think I am going to start on finishing HPNDP asap!!! haha although most of my readers for that fic prolly didn't even look twice at this one. ;)**

**Oh, also, I got a DS lite, and I am currently obsessed with Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. I always wanted to play a Zelda game, and this is my first time that I've ever had my own (before I played my friend's game back when they still made regular game boys). Between that and MarioKart, I have to stop obsessing and start writing! Plus, preseason college soccer starts TUESDAY and I am out of shape, plus a captain. AH! haha. so if i never post again, i'm prolly dead from soccer. lol.**

**Ok, enough rambling, time for story-izing! I love this one...it's really fun! :D**

**~Nicky**

**PS--I don't own AtLA. If I did, EVERY week would be Zutara Week! And taang week...and sukka week...and hakodaXursa...etc...**

* * *

"**Lick"**

It wasn't as if Zuko had a problem with public displays of affection. Granted, he didn't usually make a point of including them in his relationships, but he didn't really exclude them, either. After all, he'd held hands with that Jin girl, as well as Mai, and he'd kissed both of them in public, even if there hadn't been many people around to see it. But this was ridiculous.

Sure, it was cute at first, but then it just wouldn't stop. It wasn't long before everyone was starting to get sick of it. What's worse, he had a strong suspicion that Aang was actually starting to get jealous. After all, he was the one that used to be on the receiving end of all this affection.

Yes, the licking had to end.

Zuko didn't care if he'd saved that bison a hundred times; there was no reason for the beast to attack him with slobbery affections every time he saw him. It wasn't just that it was embarrassing; it also forced him to go through two or three outfits a day in order to get out of clothes soaked in bison drool. He'd given up on bathing each time, instead keeping a large tub of water in his room for a quick wash. The amount of water wasted was incredible.

The real problem with having so many loads of laundry each day was that the person that was supposed to take care of it hated his guts. Or, at least, she had threatened to spill them if he ever stepped out of line. Zuko really didn't want to push his luck; especially since he'd never had much to begin with.

Zuko knew that showing up with three times the amount of laundry as everyone else was not only rude, but it would likely be taken as blatant arrogance by the surprisingly sensitive water bender. At the same time, if he was caught doing the laundry on his own, it was likely that she'd assume he thought her efforts to be insufficient to his liking, another sign of arrogance. In other words, he couldn't win.

The only solution that he saw was to turn in an equal amount of clothes as every else each day, and then sneak out at night to finish the rest himself. He'd had plenty of practice at sneaking as the Blue Spirit; the plan was fool-proof.

He just didn't count on just how obsessed with keeping an eye on him Katara really was.

* * *

Katara was onto that sneaky little fire bender. She knew that he'd been sneaking out at night for a few nights now, and tonight she was going to finally catch him. Sure he was stealthy, but she was the Painted Lady; stealth was her middle name. She went to sleep early, and then waited until everyone else had gone to bed before quietly leaving her sleeping bag and ducking into the corridor near Zuko's room. She didn't have to wait long until he crept out, barely making a sound.

She couldn't help but admire just how stealthy Zuko could be; in fact, the only reason she'd ever realized he was going out at night in the first place was that she had made a habit of checking in on him in the middle of the night, to see if he was actually asleep. It was a good thing she did, too; it seemed her work had finally paid off.

Katara followed Zuko as he headed up a hidden staircase onto the top of the cliff that hid the Western Air Temple from prying eyes. The fact he was actually leaving the temple only confirmed her suspicions, and she opened the cork to her water flask, ready in case some Fire Nation troops were lying in wait to catch anyone that might be following their prince.

Zuko finally stopped just a little into the woods at a small stream, sat down, and reached into the pack on his back. He pulled out what looked like a pile of rags, and, looking around, began to strip his outer clothes until he was wearing only his undergarments. Blushing, Katara began to look away, but then she turned back, telling herself that this might be an elaborate part of Zuko's plan; trick her into thinking he was only taking a bath, and then bolt as soon as she closed her eyes.

When Zuko pulled a bar of soap out of his pack and began scrubbing the rags that he'd pulled out before, Katara couldn't believe her eyes. What was Zuko doing, scrubbing his laundry in the middle of the night? Especially when she knew very well that she did all of the spoiled prince's washing. It had to be a trick, she told herself. She refused to look away for one second, although, admittedly, it wasn't very difficult; Zuko was a very attractive young man, and staring at his bare chest and legs was not at all unpleasant.

After thirty minutes of nothing but cleaning, however, Katara was beginning to doubt her initial belief that Zuko was leaving at night to report his findings on their group, and her legs were beginning to cramp from squatting for so long. Unfortunately, when she readjusted herself, she also managed to snap a twig beneath her foot, and Zuko's head immediately popped up. He'd heard her.

* * *

Zuko heard a twig snap somewhere to his left, and he spun around quickly, entering a fire bending stance. He wished he'd brought his swords; they'd be much less conspicuous. Suddenly he saw a human-sized shadow dart from the bushes, and he followed after it, terrified that it might be a Fire Nation scout.

By the time he'd caught up to the shadow, he was nearly at the edge of the woods, and, not thinking, he launched himself towards it, managing to tackle the unsuspecting person to the ground. Grinning at his success, he moved his head so that he could look at the person that had been spying on him, only to see two angry blue eyes looking up at him.

* * *

Ugh! The nerve of that stupid, spoiled Prince! She'd tried to get away before he could catch her—not that she'd done anything wrong!—only for him to tackle her to the ground, grinning in satisfaction at his victory. If only she hadn't dropped her water flask back there! She'd freeze that stupid grin in its place! Then she noticed a more pressing detail.

Zuko was straddling her.

And he was practically naked.

* * *

Zuko was frozen in place; was this really happening? How had a simple excursion to do laundry turned into such a terrible situation? Although terrible wasn't quite the right word; Katara certainly was pretty, and, back in Ba Sing Se, she had set his heart racing faster than Mai ever had. In fact, his heart was racing pretty fast right now, too, although he couldn't tell if it was because he was in a very compromising position with a very pretty girl, or if it was because he that very girl had threatened his life not too long ago, and this was certainly a good excuse to make good on her promise. Probably a mix of both..

* * *

Both Zuko and Katara's faces turned a deep scarlet, each too embarrassed to properly respond to the situation. Finally Zuko stood up, still blushing, and helped Katara to her feet.

"Um, let's just pretend this never happened," Katara ventured, her face still bright red.

"Good idea," Zuko agreed, by now realizing his half-clothed state. His face turned an even darker shade of red, and he averted his eyes.

Katara nodded and turned to run away, but stopped to call behind her, "And I still don't trust you, Laundry-boy!" Zuko just sighed and went to retrieve his belongings, wondering if it was possible to die of embarrassment.

* * *

The next day, both of them vowed to never return to that spot of the woods at night again.

They then proceeded to break that vow that same night, and every night after, as long as they were staying at the temple. Zuko explained his actions away as "not wanting to give in to that crazy waterbender," while Katara rationalized it as "keeping an eye on that sneaky firebender." But anyone else who saw it would have called it flirting.

And, for some reason, Zuko didn't mind Appa's affectionate licking quite so much any longer.

* * *

**HA! not what you were expecting? or...maybe it was and I"m just a dork. Anyways, review, please? ::cute baby face::**


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